Muppet Fanfic: Something worth waiting for

[ReneeLouvier]

Oh....wow.....I just read the latest chapter.....

"I think I bumped my head on something" That just struck me to my heart, right here. Wow....I....wow.....

 

[Leyla]

A day late, thanks to...

...my unexpectedly spraining my thumb about 20 minutes after my last post. Frankly, I blame Piggy, who was clearly seeking vengeance for my tormenting her.

This isn't quite as far along as I anticipated posting, but it's as good a place as any to stop. Don't be too anxious about the pig anyhow. Muppets get happy endings in my book. I'll put her back the way I found her.

Renee:I'm rather fond of that line myself. I work in a sports arena and part of my job is to give first aid if people get hurt. One day a woman fell and recieved a concussion. That's part of my inspiration for this chapter. Enjoy!

Ruahnna: Oh, thanks so much! I generally try to imagine how the characters would say something, inflection and all. If I can't picture it, I rewrite the line. Unfortunately, I'm a bit obsessive about the details of character interactions when I write, meaning I go overboard describing how something is said. I'll try to work on that. I did try to warn that it wouldn't be all swine and roses. .

Smiles: Ah, it's good to be tricksy. Although, I didn't intend to be. I'm just telling you how it all unfolds, that's all. Piggy just staggered off on her own and I had to follow. (And you have to update soon! I'm dying!)

TogetherAgain: Whoa. That's... and coming from you? Whoa. I'm honoured, thank you. I'm so thrilled that I actually got an emotional response out of you... well, I don't know what to say. Goodness knows you've done the same to me on more than one occasion! I love you trapdoors too... must be the Gonzo in me. (UUUUPPPPDAAAATTTTEEE!!!!)

Oh, and what does ziffle mean anyway?

Without further ado:

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The effort of speaking had evidently drained her, for Piggy’s eyes drifted close and her head tipped back against the wall. Still, her words had effectively shattered the silent paralysis that had seized Gonzo. He darted forward to kneel in front of her hips, grasping her perpetually gloved hands.


“Scooter! Get over here fast!” Fozzie wailed, hovering anxiously and wringing his already battered hat.


“Oh, gosh, Miss Piggy! I’m so, so sorry!” Nearly always very high-strung, Gonzo’s hasty attempt to pull her to a sitting position caused her head to loll sharply back, eliciting a short, pained gasp.


“Ooh, don’t move her like that!”


“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Rowlf’s hand came down firmly on Gonzo’s shoulder, a world of sympathy and stability offered in that simple touch.


No, no, get a grip.


To beg Piggy for forgiveness was what he wanted… not what she needed. He took an unsteady breath. “Never mind.” He addressed not Rowlf, but Piggy, who had gained an alarming pallor, almost grey from pain and blood loss. “No panic. No hysterics.” It was a firmly given promise. “Time enough for that later.”


“This is not good. This is so not good!”


“Easy, Rizzo.” Gonzo readjusted his grip on Piggy’s hands, stroking them through the pink silk. “Miss Piggy? Can you hear me?”


Rizzo danced uneasily in place, muttering to himself, but staying out of the way. Okay, buddy. You can panic for the both of us. “Look at me, Piggy. Look in my eyes, honey.” The endearment slipped out, unintentional and unimportant, surprisingly natural.

She was breathing in tense, slow puffs, struggle evident in each shaky exhalation. Her hands twitched involuntarily in Gonzo’s as she tipped her chin down slightly, meeting his eyes for an instant before her gaze slid away.


“Gonzo.” It was almost a question. He smiled at her with all the encouragement he could muster.


“The friendly neighbourhood weirdo, at your service.”


“He is the weirdo in your neighbourhood, in your neighbourhood… oh, sorry.” Rizzo dropped the song as fast as he’d picked it up. “Just trying to lighten the mood.”


“What…?” Piggy opened her eyes and tried to get a look at the rat without moving her head. After a second, her eyes fluttered closed again, whispered question dying with that weak breath. She flexed her hands in Gonzo’s grip and the trace of a frown touched her lips.


For an instant, he thought she’d pull away, but her hands relaxed. Might not be able to move that much. The thought alarmed him. Might not mind me holding her hands right now. That thought terrified him.


Scooter ducked in from the stage just then, peering around. “Somebody call me?”


“Up here, on the double!”


Obediently, he dashed up the stairs, doubtless spurred on by the urgency in Rowlf’s order. “Oh my goodness, it’s Miss Piggy!” The go-fer hesitated uncertainly before Rowlf reached over and pulled him to her side.


“You’ve got first-aid training, don’t you?”


“Well, yeah. Boss thought someone around here ought to, but-”


Gonzo was getting frustrated. “Get to the aid-firsting then! She’s a mess!” Piggy didn’t so much as twitch an ear at the comment.


“Should we call nine-one-one or just drive her to the hospital?”


“Oh, don’t make me drive, don’tmakemedrive!”


Rizzo gave Fozzie a cynical look. “Would you rather be in the backseat with the blood? Yecchh.”


“Ooh, I don’t feel so good. I think I need to lie down.”


“Are you alright Fozzie? ‘Cause I’ve got first-aid if you need-”

“Scooter!”


“Oh, right. Well, I’ll take a look at her, but gee, it’s not like I’m an expert.”


“On pigs or on medicine?”


“Rizzo!” Gonzo’s voice climbed rapidly in pitch and volume. “Go take care of him!” He freed on hand to point at the swaying bear. “Scooter, check out the pig!”


Piggy chose that moment to reach for her head. She clumsily grazed the injured ear, and flinched violently. Rowlf whimpered sympathetically, though she herself did not make a sound.


“Oh, gosh, she’s awake!” Newly promoted Doctor Scooter pushed past Rowlf to get a better look at the extent of her injuries. “Here, let me get behind her so I can check her head and neck. Is she talking at all?”


“A bit. Not a lot.” Gonzo peered into her face. “Piggy?”

Scooter reached behind her back, edging her away from the wall. With his left hand he supported her head as Rowlf and Gonzo shifted her away from the wall. It was an awkward maneuver and her head slipped from his hand, jerking sideways before Scooter could compensate. Piggy flinched again, her eyes snapping open and sending a jolt of renewed guilt through Gonzo.


“Could you hold her head?”


Not while he was keeping her upright. “Fozzie? Could you take her left arm?” Fozzie gulped audibly. “It’ll be fine, just, just close your eyes if you have to. You can do it.”


A brief flurry of careful shuffling and Gonzo was free to slip his furry hands under Piggy’s jawbone, in turn freeing Scooter to probe for injuries other then the obvious gash in her ear. Heads, he reflected, are surprisingly heavy. The thought would have undoubtedly offended the owner of the head.


“Hey, what’s going on up there?” The crowd that had been milling around the crashed metal walkway had began milling around the backstage and it was getting noisy. Gonzo shot a glance at Rizzo.


“I’m on it.” He scaled the railing and started chasing the gawkers back. “Hey, you, outta here! What, do you think this is, a peep show? We’re not on vacation you know! We got a dress rehearsal to botch. Let’s go, let’s go. Undalay!” The Muppets began to scatter again under the rat’s relentless scolding.


Beside him, Fozzie had his eyes squeezed tight; his sensitive nature was more often a gift then a hindrance, but in this case, the sight of Piggy’s head was too much for the bear to bear. A moment passed, and Gonzo was surprised by a quiet sound. A gentle hum was issuing from Fozzie's throat, a sound that he at first mistook for whimpering. Soon, however, he understood it was a sort of tuneless lullaby, meant to soothe and comfort. Gonzo doubted Fozzie was aware of what he was doing.


“It’s gonna be alright, Piggy.”


Teeth gritted, Scooter slipped careful fingers through the blonde’s matted hair as Gonzo watched her face for reaction. “Her head’s cut too, but I’m more worried about the swelling. Try to get her talking, Gonzo. We don’t want her to sleep.”


“Right,” he murmured grimly. “Miss Piggy, are you awake? Can you talk to me?” He was so close to her face that he could feel her warm breath on his nose. “We’re awful close, Piggy. You’re probably gonna want to knock me through a wall for this.” It was practically an offer, but she didn’t take him up on it. “Please, Piggy. You have to talk to me. I’m not going away. C’mon. You know how persistent I am.”


“Scooter? Is she-?”


“Not good,” the redhead frowned. “We need to get her out of here. She needs a real doct-” Scooter accidentally knocked into her torn ear with some force. Piggy’s eyes flashed open and she squeaked in anguish. It wasn’t the physical pain in that cry that cut Gonzo right to the heart; it was the hopeless confusion in her terrified stare.


She doesn’t understand what’s really happened.

Piggy confirmed Gonzo’s sudden intuition when she spoke. “I don’t know where I am.” The fright in her voice brought tears to unkindly prick his eyes.


“You don’t know where you are?” he repeated stupidly, voice breaking.


Scooter jumped in before he could gather himself enough to reassure. “Miss Piggy? Are you dizzy? Do you feel like you might get sick?”


To Gonzo, all remaining colour washed out of Piggy’s face as she nodded. He felt Scooter trying to catch his eyes, but kept his own firmly focused on Piggy’s, hoping to somehow impart a measure of strength, to hold her spirit in safety.


“Sounds like a concussion.”


“That’s serious, isn’t it?” Fozzie broke off his humming.


The go-fer didn’t answer, just looked up at Rowlf, who spun around, taking the stairs two at a time to get to the old-fashioned phone.


“Not nine-one-one, Rowlf, call the hospital. The number’s in Kermit’s Book. Let them know we’re coming. It’ll be faster to drive!”


“Gotcha.”


“Fozzie, do you think-”


“Oh, Scooter, I, I don’t know-”


Gonzo gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s either you or Beauregard.”


“Oh! Where are my keys?!” Fozzie was off like a shot, frantically knocking over props and scattering costumes in search of the elusive keys.


Scooter watched after the bear for a moment before sliding out behind Piggy and entrusting her to Gonzo’s care. “I’m gonna get help for carrying her out to the car. Now listen, this is really important. Don’t let her fall asleep. Got that?”


“Yeah, I’ve got it.” Gonzo readjusted his position to better support the limp pig as Scooter’s steps echoed away.


“Miss Piggy?”
Silence.


“Miss Piggy?” he pinched her arm gently. She frowned, then sighed a little, long lashes fluttering before resting once again on her round cheeks. Gonzo shook his head.


“Sorry. That’s not gonna do it. You’re gonna have to start talking now. C’mon Piggy.”


“Mmmneh.”


He poked her firmly in the side. His worry was hitting new heights and he was getting desperate for a real response. He took his life in his hands. Leaning in close to her good ear, he said firmly, “Don’t you fall to pieces on me, porky. I’m not in the mood for bacon bits.”


Her eyes snapped open and narrowed dangerously to slits. Piggy gave him a weak shove that brought a broad smile to his face. “That’s my girl.”


“Mmmnot your girl,” she mumbled as her head dropped forward to rest on his shoulder.


“Oh, yeah. I remember. You're Kermit’s girl, aren’t you?”

"Kermmmie," she slurred.


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[TogetherAgain]

<Watches as heart is shredded into pieces.> You know, people talk about ripping someone's heart out and tearing it to pieces... I think it's more painful when you skip the "ripping it out" part.

Some particularly awesome stuff:

A brief flurry of careful shuffling and Gonzo was free to slip his furry hands under Piggy’s jawbone, in turn freeing Scooter to probe for injuries other then the obvious gash in her ear. Heads, he reflected, are surprisingly heavy. The thought would have undoubtedly offended the owner of the head.

It's true- heads are infact surprisingly heavy. The comment about offending the owner just... I find it incredibly touching that while focussing so much on Miss Piggy's physical condition, her standard emotions are still being taken into account.

Beside him, Fozzie had his eyes squeezed tight; his sensitive nature was more often a gift then a hindrance, but in this case, the sight of Piggy’s head was too much for the bear to bear. A moment passed, and Gonzo was surprised by a quiet sound. A gentle hum was issuing from Fozzie's throat, a sound that he at first mistook for whimpering. Soon, however, he understood it was a sort of tuneless lullaby, meant to soothe and comfort. Gonzo doubted Fozzie was aware of what he was doing.

Too much for the bear to bear, a sort of tuneless lullaby, meant to soothe and comfort... It's one thing to describe something so well that the reader can see it, and quite another to describe it so well that the reader feels like the character. Maybe it's my own occasional random humming that connected me to this, but I'm just so... well, connected.

He was so close to her face that he could feel her warm breath on his nose. “We’re awful close, Piggy. You’re probably gonna want to knock me through a wall for this.” It was practically an offer, but she didn’t take him up on it. “Please, Piggy. You have to talk to me. I’m not going away. C’mon. You know how persistent I am.”

Well like I said about taking standard emotions into account... Gonzo relating her standard emotions to his standard emotions...

It wasn’t the physical pain in that cry that cut Gonzo right to the heart; it was the hopeless confusion in her terrified stare.

You know why all the standard emotions are so gripping? It's because you're using them to remind us of what isn't. Miss Piggy, hopeless confusion, terrified stare? Typically, it just wouldn't add up. All the explanation of how things should be serves as a constant reminder of that. Very powerful.

He felt Scooter trying to catch his eyes, but kept his own firmly focused on Piggy’s, hoping to somehow impart a measure of strength, to hold her spirit in safety.

Imparting strength, holding her spirit in safety... Incredible diction, and such a powerful, powerful, knock-em-flat image...

Silence.

Argh, it's one of those one-word sentences! I've been stabbed! There's something just so petrifying about silence, and with nothing else in the sentence to soften the blow...

"Kermmmie," she slurred.

I didn't realize I was falling until I landed. It's just such a similar note to how the last chapter ended- Kermit. Kermit, still somewhere in Europe, completely oblivious to the entire situation, unable to support, guide, comfort, control... They can manage without him, but they really need him now, and he has no idea. It's just... It hurts.

Ow.

MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!

 

[Leyla]

Oh, my. Wow... you know, your reviews are so elegant I think they make my writing look better. You've also made me desperately miss Kermit, and he won't be home for a while yet. I'm gonna have to get some phone calls going soon though. Sorry about shredding your heart (and also quite pleased by that ) but goodness knows you've knocked the breath out of me more than once. I gotta go read Swamp Call again... and Summer in the Theater.

The fun thing about fanfic is you get to explore how the characters react and interact when you jolt them them out of their usual circumstances, but I think you need to make sure they're still themselves underneath.

You're a random hummer too?! Oh, that's great! I find myself alway wanting to give Fozzie a hug, he's just that sort of bear, you know. He's got a heart big enough for the whole world.

Ah, well, enough of my musing. I honestly thought this was a more cheerful chapter than the last one, but not too far along there should be some sillyness to balance out all the hurting.

Thanks so much for commenting!

 

[Smiles]

This story is just so darling, doesn't seem like something I would say while extremely worried about Piggys health, but, it is.

Fozzie and Gonzo, oh so adorable! I want to give them hugs more than I want to give Piggy a hug! is there something wrong with that?

 

[TogetherAgain]

All things considered, no, I personally don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. Piggy has the luxury of not having any idea what's going on. Fozzie and Gonzo, well, don't. Thus, they're in dire need of hugs.

 

[Smiles]

Few! Good! I was starting to think I was a bad person or something

 

[Leyla]

No, no, you're not a bad person! You're a great person who writes fanfic that causes me to clap my hands with joy! And so does Lisa! And Ruahnna! And others!

Oohh... I'm a happy camper. I completely concur with TogetherAgain's opinion there too, that Piggy's out of it where Fozzie and Gonzo are in the middle of it. 'Sides once I get her to a hospital she's gonna feel much better. There's this stuff call valium you see... although first they're gonna have to treat that concussion.

And I've said too much... but that's what happens when I'm in a good mood!

 

[TogetherAgain]

Oh gosh, I know that feeling! Beau gets way too much out of me all the time, especially about Flippersteps, it seems, I mean just today he heard about- Oh, CRAP! I just can't keep my mouth shut! Er... my fingers still? I dunno. What I do know is that I want MORE STORY! But then again, I'm impatient. Wait, I thought I was Insane A. Sylum... Oh well. MORE PLEASE!

 

[Leyla]

Heehee! If you're Insane A. Sylum I suppose that makes me Lu NyTunes. So if you're a babbler too, I should be wrangling information out of you! If only I were a better wrangler. While I'm here, the funniest thing happened at my church and I just have to tell someone!

My minister was talking about the prodigal son story in his sermon, and mentioned that pigs were/are considered unclean animals by many cultures... "although Miss Piggy has done alot to change that opinion"

I came perilously close to busting out laughing, I was so surprised. Naturally, after the service I told him he'd surprised me, 'cause I'm a Muppet fan and next thing I know he's telling me that he's a Miss Piggy fan with his wife there backing him up. (This time I laughed 'til tears came, only because I was delighted of course.) We had a fun conversation with me telling him, in my nerdy way, that he was really cool when I wasn't going, "Seriously? REally? Miss Piggy? Really?" I'm not very articulate in real life. Someone mentioned how violent Piggy is and he came right back with, "That frog deserved everything she's done to him." He also said, "Miss Piggy's my favorite movie star."

Oh, I was a happy, surprised girl!

Anyway, Insane (can I call you Insane? ) I would have updated yesterday if I hadn't distracted myself with the Behind the scenes stories. Hopefully I'll be ready with more of this tommorow!
Huggles!